HOME RAID LINKED TO GROW-OP

The battle for bud seems to be heating up, becoming increasingly violent in
the past six weeks.

In Richmond alone, there have been two home invasions, a shooting and a
murder since August at marijuana grow operations.

"We can only speculate that the stakes are getting higher," Richmond RCMP
Const. Peter Thiessen told The Review Monday.

Although police initially were unsure whether Thursday's home invasion had
anything to do with the modest-sized marijuana operation found inside,
Thiessen said that it now appears the two are linked.

He said the law-abiding public has nothing to fear from these incidents,
stressing that these cases are not random acts of violence.

But he admitted the potential for an innocent party to get injured exists
whenever shots are fired, as happened in late September when a tenant at a
home on No. 4 Road was shot in the arm after three men tried to break into
his house. Inside, police found a sizable marijuana grow operation.

The most recent home invasion early last Thursday morning has left a
48-year-old woman in hospital after a severe beating. The woman's daughter
told The Richmond Review that her mother is suffering tremendous pain from
the assault. She remains in hospital, suffering from a fractured skull and
bruising to her face and body.

Three Richmondites accused of the violent home invasion at 10000 No. 2 Road
are to remain in custody until their next court appearance later this month.

Jason Kent Porter, 19, Gregory James Turner, 20, and Ryan Ray Reeves, 20,
are next expected to appear in Richmond Provincial Court on Oct. 30. All
three have been charged with assault causing bodily harm, sexual assault and
break-and-enter.

RCMP Insp. Terry Towns, head of Greater Vancouver Drug Section, said
violence around drug establishments is nothing new.

"This is the kind of violence that surrounds money-making operations that
are illegal in nature."

The victim's daughter said her mother was hired to babysit the house. That's
a very common scenario in Vancouver and other parts of the Lower Mainland,
Towns said.

This is not a new phenomenon, Towns said, and is done to insulate the owners
of marijuana grow operations from police in the event of a bust. It also
provides security for the grow operation, giving the impression that someone
is actually living in a house that has been converted into a greenhouse.

Although he's not familiar with the Richmond files, Towns said revenge is
often a motive. Wherever large volumes of cash exist, violence is sure to
follow, he said.